Most Saturdays, especially those overshadowed by rain and cold, are prime sleep-in opportunities for college students. Yet at 8:30 a.m. last weekend more than 60 from Viterbo University came through...

Photo credit: FlickrThis is the time of year that many people move into a new house or apartment. Winter has passed and spring is slowly giving way to summer. I have noticed the abundance of moving trucks on the roads....

My greeting with the earth each morning is one of gratitude and love for the gift of a new day, and the prayer of Blessing and Goodness in the evening is with the earth’s presence. Gazing and listening in the presence of God’s sacred creation — communion and Eucharist beauty, simple and natural and wonderful — create my deepest prayer.

"Crocuses" by Sister Rita Mae FischerAt times, my prayer is in humming, groaning, rocking or walking. But the day I received word that my friend had died, my prayer was in painting crocuses. Just as for Christopher Pramuk, music for me...

Image courtesy freeimages.comI pray outside when I can. Being in nature is prayer for me. Whatever brings me closer to God — feeling God’s presence and love — is prayer for me. I prefer to take time in the...

Next week marks the beginning of travel for many as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. Millions of people will board planes and trains and drive cars to gather with loved ones. Traffic, in one way...

Image courtesy morguefile.comAmidst the world news articles online I recently came across the lighter read “50 Unique Words and Phrases From Each State That Only Locals Understand.” As an avid traveler, I was...

St. Clare of AssisiReading an obituary can fill us with tension and sadness; loss as well as insight and inspiration. I have read a lot of obituaries. As a former parish pastoral associate I have been present with...

The Catholic church will celebrate the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Sunday, April 22, 2018.Sisters Sarah Hennessey, Julia Walsh and Eileen McKenzie pray in the FSPA Adoration Chapel at St. Rose Convent.

We continue to celebrate National Catholic Sisters Week and welcome Sister Jacinta Jackson to the Show me a sign video family! Like Sisters Lucy, Sarah and Dawn, Sister Jacinta shares her joys and struggles she experienced in family relationships as she walked her own path of discernment.

Image courtesy pixabay.comAs we enter into the season of graduation, may you take a moment of quiet to recall all the ways God has brought you to this milestone in your life. Every ounce of hard work and determination has...

Image courtesy pixabay.comAs we begin to contemplate Memorial Day, let us give pray for and praise to all who have died in service for their country.And, today and every day, let us pray for world peace.

Sister Marguerite Bruening is one of several sisters and prayer partners at St. Rose Convent, ringing this bell in commemoration of 140 years of perpetual adoration.Today we celebrate the beginning of our 141st year of perpetual adoration, ringing this bell 140 times for those full of unending prayer since Aug. 1, 1878, and once to commence a new year of...

This time in August marks the celebration of two wonderful and inspirational women of faith: Mary of Nazareth and St. Clare of Assisi. From this point in history, we can trace the pathways from each...

May this be a day of relaxation, renewal and honor of our gifts of service to the world as we celebrate Labor Day.*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

A common question that surfaces in vocation is this: can I change careers while serving as a Catholic sister? Yes ... it is acceptable to discern a change of ministry in religious life! The spirit is always at work within you and often leads you to new experiences -- perhaps the opportunity to care for...

Do the good -- globally -- today and everyday Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrate Transitus -- the passage of St. Francis of Assisi from death to life on the eve of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi -- in Mary of the...

Welcome to another Show me a sign video premiere! And, World Day for Consecrated Life greetings to you (a day early).We promised to introduce you to five Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration who share the joys and struggles they experienced in personal relationships as they walked their own pathway of...

Sisters Amy and Kathy greeted hundreds of people -- youth and adults -- at the annual congress for religious education in Los Angeles, California. (Photographer Victor Aleman)Sister Kathy and I would like to send a shout out to all those we met at RE Congress 2018: Rise Up! while we represented the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and vocations there....

Image courtesy of outloud.comThis time of year brings a parade of moving trucks, SUVs and vans, packed to the hilt, making the trek to college dorms and apartments. Dreams of graduation dates and soul-fulfilling careers are...

Image courtesy pixabay.comI first learned to pray at home and was taught that prayer is important. Then, prayer was often spoken aloud. After entering FSPA, I experienced many prayers said collectively; sometimes spoken...

Image by Sister Amy TaylorOne of my favorite places to pray is in my recliner in my room at St. Rose Convent. It sits in front of a window from which I can see the Adoration Chapel behind a variety of trees. The chapel...

A fleece blanket, crafted and wrapped with care for someone in needLori True composed and sings a wonderful song called “What Have We Done for the Poor Ones.” This past Saturday, FSPA sisters, Viterbo University students, staff and alumni took this...

Today commences a new year of jubilation for our Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration celebrating 75, 70, 60 and 50 years of vowed religious life. These annual celebrations are known as jubilee....

Welcome to another Show me a sign video premiere! And, happy National Catholic Sisters Week!We continue introducing you to Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration who share the joys and struggles they experienced in personal relationships as they walked their own pathway of discernment.

Photo courtesy of www.dreamstime.com
Are you willing to go where discernment takes you?Recently, St. Rose Convent was the unexpected destination for about 100 people traveling on a mystery tour. They arrived for Mass and were given a tour of Mary of the Angels Chapel.

Photo courtesy of www.dreamstime.comEarthquakes have shaken the lives of people from Italy, near New Zealand and here in the U.S. News stories full of destruction quickly circulated our world. I searched coverage for any small sign of...

Where are we going? When are we going to get there?These are questions I recall asking incessantly, as a child, every time my family would get in the car and head out of our driveway for a road trip. Sometimes we had a plan and direction; others, we...

May God guide our hearts as we begin the celebration of Holy Week.Image by Sister Amy Taylor*Do you know someone experiencing discernment of religious life? We invite you to share this link, www.fspa.org/showmeasign, and join the conversation.

It is rare that I receive a handwritten note or card in the mail anymore. Such artistry has morphed into emails and text messages in which descriptive stories of elation or frustration are relayed in...

Image courtesy freeimages.comI am fascinated with the brains of scientist and inventors. What keeps them in the lab testing and retesting and searching for the answers they long for? How do they resist boredom? How do they deal...

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Katie Mitchell and Laurie Sullivan share their "Called" experiences.Around the world today the Catholic church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It’s also the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. In the time of Jesus, infants were...

Photo credit: freeimages.comThis week has brought opportunity for morning risers to awaken to a new pattern of light. The sun has begun (on its best days) to ascend earlier and rouse reluctant sleepers with sunbeams pushing...

Photo credit: www.freeimages.comFlying on an airplane is a great way to see life from a new perspective. Things that normally look big around us suddenly appear tiny. The snarling annoyance of sitting in bumper-to-bumper...

Image courtesy of freeimages.comDiversity is one of the greatest gifts we have been given on Earth, but also one of the most challenging. In the beauty of distinction it is often perplexing when we feel misunderstood by another....

Photo credit: www.freeimages.comThis week I had the honor of attending a college graduation. With joy-filled hearts that could not be diminished by darkening clouds, wind, and the threat of lighting, we all proudly claimed our...

Sacred Heart of Jesus statue "under wraps"St. Rose Convent is undergoing minor renovations: new carpet installation is underway and some of the walls are soaking up fresh coats of paint. Walking down the hall to my office one day I noticed...

FSPA celebrate St. Clare in Mary of the Angels Chapel (photo by Sister Nina Shephard)Recently FSPA, along with the global Catholic church, celebrated the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi who, after more than 800 years, continues to be a model for all. St. Clare's gentle, loving...

Photo courtesy of Lisa DeLayThrough the screens of our televisions and computers and smart phones we are facing increasing violence around the world. Full of humanity, pain and sorrow for the hurting world, each interview we...

Photo by Sister Amy Taylor, FSPAI am a fan of holiday movies. In a span of two hours plots develop with a challenge in the life of the main characters that invites reflection, followed by a new choice. Usually the story has a happy...

In a spirit of collaboration, we enter into the celebration of National Catholic Sisters Week (March 8 through 14). There are over 45,000 women religious in the United States, and FSPA is a member of...